SEED WHEAT. ; The Minister for Agriculture lias an nounced that the following arrange- - m.fnts have been made in connection with the distribution of seed wheat:— . The assistance is to be rendered to necessitous farmers who would other wiic be unable to purchase seed wheat. Persons who wish to apply for assist anse should do so on the application forms issued bv the department. These nTB now being printed and will be available within a few days. They will bo obtainable on application to the De partment of Agriculture or the local branches of tho Farmers and Settlers' Association, Primary Producers' Union, or Agricultural Bureau. The application when completed by the farmer should be sent to tho nearest of such local organisations, and will then bo forwarded to tho department with the report of tho ?branch. If the application is approved the farmer will be immediately notified and tlio seed' will bo despatched to him front the nearest depot. The price will bo G/9 per bushel, plus fr...

£ NEWS IN BRIEFg ^ -'^Tr. .T. H. Paine, of Alliurv-, wlio lias Decn in a critical condition j'ov some time .past, is in it r ii- improved iu health, Dili is still confined to liis home. Mr. taine. who is 8i: years of age. jiro'u abiy the veteran lodjro pecrelnry o£ the (Sommonu-caltli. -v Mr. John Davis, o£ tSlic-rwood, Kemp sey, claims (o be the first to harvest this 'sfcason's jiiam\ He Ji.is talfen off a nice crop of eirrellent grain, and fn aliori- how dry it is and wrll matmed lic .inteiids planting some of llio seed lor another crop, lieccnt showers on jfarts of the Upper MacJeay have great ty improved the maize crops gmerally. A wedding was celebrated at St, Pal Xir-1; 's Oimri'li. Allmry, nn Wednesday jnoriiiiig, Ecv. R. O'Dea ofiiciuting. T'le contracting parties were Mr. W. SPBhaue, of AUjutv (fonuerly of Brighton, Vie.), and Miss Coneie Worth, daughter of Mr. ami Mrs, M., Worth, of Aibury. Mr. P. M'Glcnrliy was best man, and the :hiide, who was given away by her father, w...

SINN ; FEIN ACTIVITIES. DEMONSTRATION abandoned. ^ (Published in the 'Timet.') ? - ' BUBLIN, Tuesday. The Sinn Twiners have abandoned their projected demonstration against the ' House of Common*. The leaders are exercising restraint in (he ' hopes of Irish' representation at tho Peace Conference. It is reported desperate measures will bo tafien, including a general strike in' Ireland, if they are ,ref&amp;sed. They, are collecting £S0;000 to establish daily newspapers.

FRENCH LABOR MISSION. ' ADDRESS IN SYDNEY. LABOR COUNCIL UNSYMPA THETIC. SYDNEY. Thursday. . A special meeting 01 Uie ayoney ^Labor Countil was held to-night, wiiich. was addressed by M. Thomsen and ij: Lodes, Labor members of the French -MiSsioj^- jffr.--W. J. Morby presided. Owing to a former decision . of the Council, the press we*e not ad- ' m it ted. The lneeting was com menced by the singing of the lied. 3;lag. followed by cheers. Mr. Morby asked [or silence during the visitors' addresses, and issued1 a warning that the meeting would: be closed1 down in the event of any disturbances. This announcement was greeted by mur murs. : ? The Frenchmen were repeatedly in terrupted, and when any; reference was made antagonistic to Bolshevism an ?uproar broke out: - A resolution .was moved by Mr. J. S. .Garden, ''That this meeting of or ganised workers, having heard the vjen-s of' the French representatives of Labor., send fraternal' greetings to the workers of France and other ' coun tr...

' QUARANTINE SALAEIES^ 'iVOOL PUBCHASE AG BEEMENT. ' The Loongana. dispute was considered and the ' Attorney^neral, Mr.' Gropm, «ras instructed to consider, to-morrow the' question of Government interven tion through the. Arbitration Court. The Cabinet' docidcd to increase the salaries of . the-.JjFederal qyarantiue staff. ; Dr. Cumpstp'n,'the director, will have his salary' increased to £1200, and the senior officers -salaries will be in creased ffom, £700 to £900. The quaran tine staff will be 'increased. . ?? Mr. 'Watt, referring :pt : the proposal to extend the purchase? agreement of wool with Great Britain, said that opin ion was apparently divided on the mat ter. but the Commonwealth. Government was not likely -to.- extend the period of control and sale'of wool beyond the end of .Tune, 1920. unless : there was an united demand- from the woolgrowere of Australia.

FEDrE ? PBEPAB^N^ fQB OONTBEENOE. ' AKTER-AVAB . PROBLEMS. ? v iiELBOtB^E,: Thursday. ,The Federal. Cabinet sat till late to- j night. and, will rc^me, to-morrow. Mr.* Watt, said- that consideration' had i-cen given as to. the fiiibjects-for the confsr ence between the Federal and ^tiitc Ministers on jannary 22. J The subjects relate' to the works programmes of the seveu Governments in regard to the re turn of soldier* and the necessity foi finding them employment for the frat IS.immtbs of the. after-war period. The conference will also discuss soldier land settlements also finance, which will in volve a .reviey of the per capita pay ments. The Cabinet decided to appoint Mr. VF. -f.' M'Beath. the present chairman, of '-.the ^business commission on defence and navil ?niatters, to the- remaining ppsitioh in connection. With demobnsa tio'iiV iir. M^Beath will act in' an. hon orary , ca'pacitv, Bs.'long- as the ' work 1-cquires his presence in.. London. ,

[?] AKOTHE&amp; FniiB. ' Yesterday juorning there,twas another outbreak .of fire ill Baylis-street, ?Wag^a.'.'-.-iiib -'-Wlarni . w« received through , the VMfagga telephone exchange at 8.34 *.W„ and in a few minutes the motor'bhgiiie.'iminiied 'by Ht. R. Joyner, oflicer in vcliarge, and seven firemen,' was on the : scene. -Tlifi cause of the alarm was'XBmall 'fi'c thai had- broken out in.aome unex^laincd manner among a number of packing cases at the rear of -Mt.\ W. ,i\ 'Drihkjwater's general store iniBayiis-gtreet, between Tompson and Forsyth^jrepts! When the brigade arrived thc/iiattee had been almost ex-. linguiShed'-vvith tlfe aid of a small gar- j den hose, and aU the 'firemen had to-do; was to continue the good work that had been Sbegtiii. * In a few seconds the flames were 'cppiplctelv quiepched. Com jnjr eo closely upon, the fire at Messrs. Dennis and -Co.'s tailor shop, the alarm caused ii good deal of excitement and a fairly lafge crowd gathered -at the spot, ' J '

'? ? STATE ELECTORAL .ROLL. ?' The police of New South .AVaJeB .have been instructed to collect -the names of ;eleotors for the new - roll 'jo 'be used under the system of proportional repre sentation, so that the re-distribution of seats may be proceeded with by the Commission. It is. to b.e earnestly ^ hopad that' this matter will l-e prose cuted to finality with 'the utmost des- | .patch. The reform is generally ap- ; proved, and the latest approbation comes from Mr. P. C. Evans, secretary of the Australian Labor Tarty. 'Those who understand the subject}' says this of ficer,' ' know that this system is matbe . . rniatically correct, and that is, all that t^u be asked for.'. It is refreshing to find this endorsement . by the secretary .of the Labor party, the political reeord , of which has liitherto shown, it to ' be: :r wedded 'to the hidebound vote of party aiid .nothing but party, As .bj^v bp :ex V p^jfea, ;to.^Bv^r^ J^.-'iEvaiis ,f ore^es ,an ? .attempt on, tb6 'part of Labor...

BUSINESS ANNOUNCEMENTS. Mr. B. TSpscott is authorised to col lect donations of wheat on 'behalf of the 'Wagga Bed Cross League. All Anzats and other returned sol diers,' as well as their relatives, are invited to be , present -at a wcieome home ancT'continental in the Town, Hall Gardens on Tuesday evening next.

^ P.P. BOARD CHANGUB. under the -new Pastures Protection Act' which- came into operation this year Some important changes have takeii place.lin relation to the adminis tration of thie duties of the P.P. Board. The greatest Of these is perhaps that affecting ihe ^election of the 1 Board, ?which will. new take place en Woe every three yearij! instead of, as' at |ftcsent, a eertaih. number of . directors retiring each-year. The whole eiglqt .members of the Board will retire from', office, this, year aid a new Board will be elected. -in April. It will be clected on the prin ciple of one man one vote, so that the man' with ten head of stock will have the same 'vble as the man 'with 2005 head, plurality of voting being done away with.' There is also an altera tion in ihe rating of mixed stock.

. GERMANYS INDEMNITY. NOVEL SCHEME 01? PAYMENT. .* ? ? — ? : ' ? . 'VANCOUVER, Thursday. The 'Echo de Paris' jiroposes a re ma'rkable. method of collecting the Gor man indemiiity. It would -collcct the jnoney Jirst for bonds given -by Teutons ' to the -' inhabitants of invaded teriitary in . return for . requisitioned . articles. Then to enforce reparation for the de struction of cities, forests, ' houses, fac tories aiid fertile, lauds stricken with barrenness, the countries whose soil was immune - from invasion should not col lect their debts until this work of re stitution is completed. The uczt claim should be for the jnoney value of sol diers and officers slain ou the battle field-

INTERNATIONAL LABOR; PEACE .DKCISIONS, TO BE SCBUTiXISED.. [?] . PABIS, Thursday. The International Labor Conference is unlikely to meet before January 20 sad the conference will beheld at Geu ssta if the Lausanne authorities persist in their objections. The conference will consist of two divisions, namely, trade union and Socialist, and will toep in the closest touch with' the Pcace Con ference by means, of couriers.